What do brokenness and the Holy Spirit have to do with one another? On the one side we have perfection, not broken at all, perfect in all its ways. On the other side we have some thing crushed, unable to fulfill it purpose. That is why we call something broken, it is not able to do what it is supposed to do. If you are not aware a thing is broken, you can get really badly hurt. If you know it is broken you can often still use it because you are aware of its brokenness. For example, if you have a broken chair or ladder you can still use it when you know how it is broken, but not knowing will cause you to get harmed. This is the same with a human being: to forget that a human is broken will cause you great harm and disappointment. Yet to know a human is broken, you can have a real relationship. But one incredibly important thing about brokenness and the human person is the broken human person can be penetrated by the Holy Spirit.
If we do not know we are broken then the Holy Spirit can’t work in us. Peter shows that he is broken, he could not even stand up for God. Yet this humility, this weakness, was a door for Holy Spirit to enter. In the Gospel, it talks of the door being locked for fear of the Jews. This often describes us: fear of our brokenness locks the door to the Holy Spirit working in our lives. Fear of our brokenness does not let the Holy Spirit in, does not let that perfection in. Jesus was able to come through the locked door and breath the Spirit in because the Apostles were broken and they had a door to enter. The Holy Spirit brings perfection with it and mends and heals and uses the brokenness to do the mighty works of God. The Holy Spirit took broken people and made them into a community. When Peter spoke the people were cut to the heart and repented and then were baptized and filled. The tower of Babel was overcome and the many people became one again. This is the common human experience, our brokenness. We reach others through our brokenness. If we don’t admit our brokenness we will judge others for their’s instead of have mercy on them and bringing them to the Holy Spirit. A broken Church is the Church of Pentecost and broken people are the people of the Holy Spirit. Maybe we are tired of being broken. That is because that is all we see, that is all we are focusing on. We are not focusing on what the Holy Spirit can do with broken people. We can with St Paul rejoice in our weakness that leaves room for the Holy Spirit.
Many of us our turned away from the work of God by our brokenness. We think, “I can’t do that; I am not holy enough.” That is really the point: we should work more because we are broken. I think men succumb to this all the time. I am not holy enough so I shouldn’t lead my family in prayer. I shouldn’t read or serve in the Church because I am too sinful.
I believe men should be leading their family as a priest. It is not because I believe women are not good enough to read or serve, they are for sure, but I believe men are supposed to rise up and serve the Church in their brokenness. That is what I have to do. I did not come to serve here because I was perfect or sinless. I only stand here because I was called to serve as are you men. I am really start thinking that all this women’s liberation has too often liberated men from responsibility to serve. Aw you poor men; it is too hard for you to serve, we will do it in your place; you sit back and take it easy; don’t do anything hard. When the Legions of Romans encountered the Germanic tribes, according to my English professor, they encountered fierce resistance. The men would not retreat. Why was that? Because their women were behind them with whips, making them be men and defend their families and their lands. Holy Mother Church is not going to let us off because we were scared or broken. Look at how Jesus encounters the Apostles today: they are in a room locked in fear. They have betrayed Jesus, abandoned Him in His time of greatest need. He comes through that locked door and looks at them in their brokenness. Then he does something amazing: He sends these broken men forth to represent Himself. Do we see this? Sinful, broken men will now be the ones that forgive sins. Jesus breaths on them which means He is very close to them and He sends them. He has a deep knowledge of their brokenness. It is important to know a broken tool to safely use it. Jesus know His tools.
Pentecost is not about the perfect people encountering a pretty good God. It is about broken people encountering a perfect God and Him breathing life into their weakness and encouraging them to be what they could be. If we want to have Pentecost, we need to admit our brokenness so the Holy Spirit has a door to enter and bring life to these broken pots or as we say cracked pots. Rise up, let the weak man say, “I am a warrior.” Let the cripple rise up to serve and leap for joy because God is in our midst. This is Pentecost, this is new life offered here. Rise up. Men, stop coddling yourselves. You are not called to serve because you are perfect, you are called to serve Holy Mother Church because you are men and inspite of your weakness. Your joy is in your service. So serve. You are called to serve as Christ serves His Church. Women, stop letting us get away with being lazy and afraid. Stop letting us hide in our brokenness. This will bring about a great Pentecost in the Church.